LOI for VL MICA for LCS Signed

21 April 2018

MBDA VL MICA surface-to-air missile (photo : Malaysian Defence)

MICA On The Way

KUALA LUMPUR: One of the three letters of intent (LOI) handed out on Apr. 18 at DSA 2018, was for the VL MICA surface-to-air missiles by MBDA.

The MICAs are being bought to arm the LCS, of course. Unlike the NSM, this was not a contract yet, though it is likely to be awarded soon.

As Malaysian Defence (MD) had posted earlier, MBDA had been contracted by BNS to supply the launchers and associated equipment though not the missiles. All weapons for the LCS – from guns to missiles – are “government furnished equipment” to be supplied directly to BNS once the contracts had been awarded. Hence it is the government (through the Defense Ministry) that signed the contract and LOI for the missiles – NSM and MICA -with Kongsberg and MBDA, respectively.

As for cost and number of MICA missiles to be procured, MD have yet to double confirm them. However as the six LCS each supposedly has 16-launchers each, we can assume at least 100 missiles will be procured. It is likely also that both the RF and IR versions of the missile will be bought.

Anyhow from the schematic of the LCS as shown by BNS at DSA 2018, MD think that they could fit the Aster 15 or 30 missiles for the follow on ships, if funding is available of course. The schematics showed the A-35 launcher on the LCS penetrated only one deck with at least three decks below. Of course they need to redesign the whole bow area if they do this but MD dont think its undoable or expensive. The expensive part is of course the missiles itself!

Converting the first six LCS for Asters however will be quite expensive as they need to modify at least two deck at least.

(Malaysian Defence)